1.

Identify two issues that were experienced in the 19th-century Philippines

Issues:
- Existing colonial policies as hindrances to economic prosperity/ progress.
● Filipinos are deprived of bureaucratic positions
● Harassment from Guardia civil ‘
● The antiquated system of taxation
● Highly protective tariffs
- Graft and corruption
● The government is unable to provide basic needs to the
citizens.
2. Explain how two different sectors (ordinary Filipinos and illustrados) tried to find a
solution for each of the two problems. You may use two different sources for this portion.
Ordinary Filipinos:
- “Their rude and vulgar behavior that was described by the westerner may
be considered as a symbolic act of defiance against the colonial authority of the
Spaniards” (Santiago, 2015).
- Revolt against the tribute (tribute/ tributo- general tax paid by the
Filipinos to Spaniards which amounted to eight reales)
- Katipunan ? the three fundamental objectives of KKK are political,
moral, and civic. Emphasis on the first and last. Political – to separate philippines from
spain, civic– to help the poor and oppressed.

Illustrados:
1. As shown by their “Anti-Friar Manifesto of 1888”, Filipino reformists led by Dr.
Jose Rizal despised the oppressive and arrogant frias and wanted them to be
ousted from the nation.
2. One of Rizal’s reforms was to give Filipinos equal rights (job, a place in the
government, education, etc.) as the Spaniards. [Veneration without
understanding]
3. “Friar Botod” of Graciano Lopez Jaena
4. “Dyaryong Tagalog of Marcelo H. Del Pilar
5. “Propaganda Movement” established by the Ilustrados

References:
The Philippines Nationalism and the Three Ilustrados Free Essay Sample on Samploon.com.
(2021, August 26). The Philippines Nationalism and the Three Ilustrados Free Essay Sample on
Samploon.Com; samploon.com. https://samploon.com/the-philippines-nationalism-and-the-
three-ilustrados/?msclkid=5f7632fdbed611ec828179790d28f834

Santiago, F. (2015). Manners of Resistance: Symbolic Defiance of Colonial Authority In

 Nineteenth Century Philippines. Philippine Sociological Review, 63, 137–168.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/24717163

Script

First slide
Good day everyone! Today we will be presenting the issues regarding Political
Development in the context of the 19th century in the Philippines. Mainly, we would discuss the
things that served as impediments that kept our country from achieving development and
modernization.

Second slide

The first issue seen is the existing colonial policies as hindrances to economic prosperity
or progress. Various instances that depict this issue were written in the article.

● This includes how the Filipinos were deprived of bureaucratic positions. Spaniards
possessed the power, and they had the right to who they wanted to appoint for a specific
position in the government. The majority of the bureaucrats were Spanish who had no
interest in the country they were supposed to govern, resulting in bad governance.
● Another instance would be the harassment received by the Filipinos from the Guardia
Civil. The Guardia Civil were known to be brutal and cruel officials in the provinces.
They torment citizens, especially the farmers, and take advantage of their position for
their benefit.
● The antiquated taxation system also hindered achieving modernization, for the taxes
weren’t used to develop roads, infrastructures, and public facilities required for
agricultural advancement.
● Lastly, highly protective tariffs forced the Filipinos to purchase Spanish textiles and other
far more expensive products than traditional British products.

The second issue is graft and corruption done by the Spaniards. It resulted in the government not
being able to provide basic needs such as proper education, employment, and prosperity to the
citizens.

● The educational system was faulty back then, for religious matters were overemphasized,
the teaching methods were obsolete, there was a limited curriculum, poor facilities,
absence of teaching materials and academic freedom, and prejudice against Filipinos in
the schools of higher learning (Philippines in the 19th century, 2014).

Third slide
 The Filipinos reacted to these issues through:

1. According to Santiago (2015), “Their rude and vulgar behavior that was described by the
westerner may be considered as a symbolic act of defiance against the colonial authority
of the Spaniards.”
a. Filipinos are known to be resilient people. They could withstand any harassment
received from the Spaniards, but they won’t be submissive to the abuses that they
experienced.
2. Revolt against the tribute (tribute/ tributo- general tax paid by the Filipinos to Spaniards
which amounted to eight reales)
a. Also known as Dingras Revolt or Ilocos Norte Revolt was an uprising over unfair
taxes, which amounted to eight reales, and the alleged abuses by tax collectors.
Enraged natives killed six tax collectors. To put an end to the uprising, the
government pardoned the rebels and reconstituted the tax system.
3. Katipunan
a. KKK or The Kataastassan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng
Bayan was founded by Andres Bonifacio which aimed the liberation of the
Philippines from Spain and the expulsion of the Spaniards in the nation. There are
three primary objectives of the KKK: political, moral, and civic. The political
goal aims to separate the Philippines from Spain, declaring the country’s
independence. The moral goal seeks to educate the Filipinos on good manners and
proper conduct, cleanliness, and how to guard themselves against religious
fanaticism. Lastly, the civic goal was to inspire Filipinos to assist themselves and
to stand up against oppression. (Philippine History, 2020; National Historical
Commission of the Philippines 2012).

Fourth slide

The Illustrados reacted to these issues through:

1. Anti-Friar Manifesto of 1888”

a. As shown by their “Anti-Friar Manifesto of 1888”, Filipino reformists led by
Doroteo Cortes, Marcelo H. Del Pilar, and Jose A. Ramos despised the oppressive
and arrogant frias and wanted them to be ousted from the nation. About 300
Filipinos joined in the march to deliver a petition to Gov. Gen Emilio Terrero
requesting Queen Maria Christina of Spain to banish all friars in the Philippines.
Doroteo Cortes and Marcelo H. Del Pilar wrote the petition and garnered 810
signatures. However, the petition failed to reach the queen.
2. One of Rizal’s reforms was to give Filipinos equal rights as the Spaniards
3. “Friar Botod” of Graciano Lopez Jaena
a. Fray Botod portrays the traditional Spanish friar who uses religion to oppress
people in order to satisfy his hunger for food, money, and women. This friar
stereotype became a symbol of the Spanish authority in the Philippines later on .
4. “Dyaryong Tagalog of Marcelo H. Del Pilar
a. The “Dyaryong Tagalog” is a nationalistic newspaper wherein contents are
written in Tagalog and Spanish language during the Spanish occupation of the
 Philippines. Works published were about the grievances of the oppressed and
promoted reform in the Spanish government.
5. “Propaganda Movement” established by the Ilustrados
a. The Propaganda movement was the first Filipino nationalist movement, headed
by a Filipino elite and driven by the proto-nationalist activism of known figures
such as José Burgos and his death at the hands of colonial authorities. The
movement fostered a political consciousness that fueled the nationalist revolution
of 1896 and the subsequent battle for independence (Propaganda movement, the,
2022).

References:

National Historical Commission of the Philippines. (2012). Andres bonifacio and the
katipunan. https://nhcp.gov.ph/andres-bonifacio-and-the-katipunan/

Philippine History. (2020). The katipunan (KKK).

https://www.philippine-history.org/katipunan.htm

Philippines in the 19th century. (2014, July 27). Dimasalang Laong Laan.
https://dimasalanglaonglaan.wordpress.com/philippines-in-the-19th-century/

Propaganda movement, the. (2022). Religion and Public Life at Harvard Divinity School.
https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/faq/propaganda-movement